...Odyssey: The Power of Gods The epic of Homer The Odyssey is about Odysseus and his 10 year struggle to return home Ithaca where his wife Penelope and his son Telemachus are struggling with the suitors who are waiting to take Penelope’s hand and Ithaca’s throne while they await for Odysseus return. However, Odysseus struggled to return Ithaca for the reason that Poseidon one of the gods that appear during the epic prevent him to return to his homeland. The theme that I considered interesting about the epic The Odyssey is the Power of Gods. Gods were considered ‘supreme’to humans. This was because humans plead to the Gods whenever they need to achieve something, and the gods decided to please or not to please humans according to human’s effort in obtain their help. Through the epic The Odyssey from Homer, in numerous occasions gods interact with humans for example, in Book II ,Athena one of the goddesses interact with Telemachus as Mentor and she advises him to embark in a journey to go to look for his father Odysseus “the journey you have your heart set on won’t be delayed. I myself, your father’s old comrade, will equip a fast ship and sail along with you” (II.309-311). It seems that the power of gods in this epic is a very important part of human’s life. In addition, another aspect of the relationship between the gods and humans is that since humans believe gods have all the power over them, humans often fear the gods and therefore they honor them or offer sacrifice to plead...
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...The Aztecs Human sacrifices were a common ritual practiced by the Aztec. The practice has caused more confusion and controversy among anthropologists, chroniclers, journalists, and priests who either condemn the topic or refuse that it ever took place. There are various evidences that ritual killings were a basic part of the life of Aztecs. They included eyewitness observation, detailed reports from interviews conducted on elders be Spanish friars and archaeological evidence. They show that ritual killing was practiced by Aztecs for long as found by hunter-gatherers in the Valley of Tehuacan. Most sacrifices are said to have taken place in the Great Temple of Tenochtitlan where records shows that there existed two sacrificial stones, many ritual knives and human remains of about 126 people buried in the site. Sacrifices are said to have taken place every month at certain altars and temples in the ceremonial centers. They spent a lot of energy, time and wealth offering the sacrifices in various festivals. The most common type of sacrifice was the auto sacrifice. It involved the use of sharp instruments like maguey thorns to pierce people’s earlobes, arms, thighs, tongue or even genitals with the aim of offering blood to the gods. Beheading, on the other hand was the most common type of killing and involved animals such as quail. However, the most valued and dramatic sacrifices involved captured warriors, children, women and slaves. They were bathed, costumed...
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...MAHATMA GANDHI The period from 1920 to 1947 had been described as the Gandhian Era which is golden era in Indian Politics even today. During the period, Gandhi spoke the final word on behalf of the Indian National Congress in negotiating with the British Government for constitutional reforms, and for chalking out a program for the national movement. Mahatma Gandhi was, and still is, an inspirational leader who impacts the world and as well as a political and spiritual leader of India. Also still the great leader in India since past to present. He fought for India's rights, and for freedom from British and finally led India into independence. Gandhi is very important leader, because he fought for something he believed in without using any sort of violent behavior. So he was known as a peacemaker hero. Also Mahatma Gandhi is universally accepted leader and an exemplary model of ethical and moral life, with a rare blending of personal and public life, the principles and practices, the immediate and the eternal. He considered life to be an integrated whole, growing from truth to truth every day in moral and spiritual status. Mohan Das Karamchand Gandhi was born on 2nd October, 1869 at Porbandar in Gujarat. After finishing his early education in India, he sailed to England in 1891 and qualified as Barrister. In 1894, Gandhi went to South Africa in connection with a law suit.The political career of Gandhi started in South Africa where he launched a Civil Disobedience Movement...
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...Hard Work, Sacrifice, Patience and Effort. With these characteristics, individuals will need to practice and train for any occupation for years. Also, they will need to sacrifice something that is enjoyed in order to create extra hours to make the difference between being good and being great. In order to make progress, people need to make sacrifices through hard work, patience and effort. For one to obtain success it is crucial to use hard work and effort regardless of the sacrifice. Hard work and effort are extremely necessary skills to possess when training. Because those skills help make sure that one can make a serious effort towards a constant exertion of power. Additionally, training is a crucial step towards success because all of the challenges in life require hours after hours of learning and repetition in order to be accomplished. For the best results, it is recommended to practice on a regular basis every day for the best results. Another main ingredient necessary to reach progress is the use of the characteristics Sacrifice and Patience. They are used in order to give up something that is generally enjoyed, but at the same time harmful by getting in the way of the pursuit of progress. Sacrifice and Patience are critical there are times in life where it is mandatory to live without the materialistic objects that are wanted. Once that is done, with the right amount of diligence, eventually the rewards and progress will come. Hard Work, Sacrifice, Patience...
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...his power. The play begins with a storm created by Prospero that brings Antonio and prospers other enemies onto the island, along with a romantic interest for Miranda. One of the major themes in The Tempest is political power. Shakespeare represented many different approaches to power and leadership in The Tempest. These ideas are personified in the characters of the play, Gonzalo, Antonio, and Prospero. Each character possesses a quality or lack thereof that demonstrates their approach to power. The three important qualities needed for a great leader are the ability to lead with a great...
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...position to part for twenty years. While separate, they face challenges that possess enough power to make or break their relationship. Odysseus must stay faithful to Penelope while also doing what is necessary to ensure his arrival home. Meanwhile, Penelope is stuck living with persistent, selfish suitors who exploit their power over her. She has no choice but to allow their abhorrent behavior. In order to prove their loyalty and love, the two must make arduous sacrifices causing excruciating pain. Therefore, Homer highlights the value of loyalty in this epic through the painful sacrifices characters undertake...
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...Confucius was a strong advocate for rites- he believed that they served to create a civilized society and a form of structure that was difficult to attain simply through laws. The concept of li, one that encompasses ideas of ritual propriety, filial piety and proper social conduct serve to reinforce the importance of this belief. To be Confucian indubitably entails participating in ancestor worship, a ritualized commemoration and sacrifice to one’s deceased relatives. Through purification, food offerings, divinations and prayers, it was believed that the living would benefit from the blessings of their ancestors. This essay will examine elements of the seasonal sacrifice performed in class with respect to Confucian ideals- it is of the view...
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... Numerous texts we read this semester had similarities to the criminal justice career field, such as a utilitarian aspect and sacrifice. The criminal justice system is heavily based on the concept of “the good of many outweigh the good of a few.” The same issues that arise in the texts can also be seen in the criminal justice system. For instance, in “The Ones Who Walk Away From Omelas” by Ursula Le Guin, the society lives in a sort of utopia that is paid for with the life of an innocent. The way the current criminal justice system is set up, innocent people can be sent to jail and individuals may receive a harsher sentence because it makes society as a whole feel safer. No punishment is given to any member of...
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...In Geoffrey Chaucer’s “Wife of Bath” and Giovanni Boccaccio’s “Federigo’s Falcon”, the authors examine the roles of femininity in the medieval and middle ages through contrasts in perspectives of love, value of marriage, and value of sacrifices. In the “Wife of Bath”, Alisoun sees love as an empowerment of women. She’s had a collection of five marriages, where she tends to use the power of sex to lure men in. Although anti-femininity is a huge theme throughout the story, men are still expected to cater to their woman even though they are seen as a man’s waste of time. Alisoun believes that to have “won the mastery” is to “choose and rule as [she] thinks fit”(149). Sexual assault is an issue that makes women feel insecure and in danger, and...
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...The Inca religion was fueled by the worship of the sun, a line of divine kings, and sacred landmarks that were link to their past. The Inca religion worshipped several deities with the Sun ruling supreme. Another deity of importance within the Inca religion was Mama-Quilla or Mother Moon. She was the second great deity, the Moon was the wife of the Sun. Inca religion was influenced by local and great traditions. A good deal of Andean people believed that they shared the cosmos with the animate dead, the goods, and the beings of the landscape. They acknowledge these powers through rituals, offerings, and prayer. They believed that human well being depended on the other powers within the cosmos. The skies were considered to be filled with...
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...Speech to Inform Outline: Temple of Blood Specific purpose: This speech will give my audience the summation of the Aztec Indians in Mexico beliefs and practices of sacrifice. Thesis: To explain the Aztec’s sacrificial philosophy is look into their history, religious beliefs and ceremonial rituals that are constantly misunderstood. I. Introduction: Mahatma Gandhi quotes: “A man who was completely innocent, offered himself as a sacrifice for the good of others, including his enemies, and became the ransom of the world. It was a perfect act.” According to the Webster’s dictionary, Sacrifice is the act of offering something to a divine being in propitiation, especially the ritual slaughter of an animal or person. When most imagine the Aztec Empire, many will think of pyramids of gold or worse a picture of a blood thirsty murdering priest holding a heart up over a sacrificial victim. These images are ethnocentric (tendency to believe that one's ethnic or cultural group is centrally important, and that all other groups are measured in relation to one's own) because the Aztec Empire was much more than gold or sacrifice. My ancestors, the Aztec Indians lived a spiritual lifestyle based on pleasing their Gods through many religious ceremonies, including frequent human sacrifices. To explain the Aztec’s sacrificial philosophy is look into their history, religious beliefs and ceremonial rituals that are constantly misunderstood. Transition: So, let’s get started with where the...
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...during the sixteenth century throughout North America and Europe, this continues in some parts of the world to this day. In some cultures killing a person was one of the most important religious ritual acts. “Religion is capable of bringing out the noblest trait of our shared humanity. It can also, unfortunately, motivate or justify the most depraved.” (Lewis M. Hopfe, Mark R. Woodward, 2009, p.10). Sacrifice, which is one of the most common practices in all of the religions of the world, is another form of religious violence. All throughout history sacrifices have been made to the gods and the spirit world, usually the sacrifices was food, drinks, or animals, but occasionally there would be a human sacrifice. Human sacrifices rarely occurred in Native American religions in the United States and Canada, but they were a very important part of religion to the Aztec and other native people of South and Central America. Native Americans living in the Great Plains have a “Sun Dance” which involves self-torment or self-sacrifice. It is viewed as a way of obtaining spiritual power that is necessary for survival. Native Americans have always used peyote in their ceremonies, but it wasn’t until the United States government humiliated and defeated them that they felt that they needed more visions and started using peyote more often than before. The Native American Church still uses...
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...Aside from their powers they were very similar to human beings, having many normal human qualities. The human qualities they presented were things such as birth and death and many emotions such as anger, love, etc. These human characteristics of the divine beings reflected the values of society. These characters in the myths are called anthropomorphic which comes from two Greek words meaning “in the shape of man”(Burkert 24). Gods and goddesses that resembled animals were called theomorphic. The word theomorphic comes from two Greek words meaning “in the shape of an animal”(Burkert 24). The last group of mythical characters has no name but is described as having both human and animal qualities. For example, having a human body and an animal...
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...relate to human nature and the ways in which humans are portrayed throughout the film James Cameron, the director of Avatar presents a beautiful planet; Pandora in which the inner peace and tranquillity is represented by a Garden of Eden of sorts. He uses techniques such as colour imagery, juxtaposition and a wide range of camera angles, to touch on the prominent themes of destruction, loss, sacrifice and the balance of nature. All of these themes present a destructive portrayal of human nature, whilst presenting the powerful force of nature. Throughout the film destruction portrays that what humans are doing is wrong. The humans are destroying the beautiful planet; Pandora. The humans are bombing the Na'Vi's home tree after they refuse to move, this then results in rebellion by the Na'Vi. One of the scenes to show this and draw the audience in is when Neytiri is running but falls and as she goes to her feet, she looks around and sees her people being slaughtered by the machines of mankind with. Slow motion and dramatic music are used to create a sense of loss. This emphasises the power of destruction that is happening around her as well as the dramatic result on nature leaving the audience in suspense. This makes the audience fearful of the outcome for the Na'Vi people because we have developed empathy for them. This scene of destruction relates directly to Cameron's portrayal of human nature throughout the film. Further on in the film we realise that loss is apart of...
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...as a utopia and believe sacrifice is the only way for it to remain a utopian society. The similarities and differences of the sacrifice of the two short stories consists of the type of society, the types of government, and how relates to the modern society. In “The Lottery,” their believes that without sacrifice is the only way to obtain livelihood. It is the only way to have food and to prevent a community wide famine. They choose to do a “lottery” because it randomly chooses a person out of the entire community to sacrifice their lives at a random pick which is much like modern day society and how people are chosen at random ny the card/number they get to win a certain amount of money. “Used to be a saying about ‘Lottery in june, corn be heavy soon’” (Jackson 4). In “The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas,” they also believe that sacrifice is essential to life. In their society happiness,...
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